Where to go in April without the crowds

April is one of the most rewarding months to travel in Europe. The light turns clear and long, temperatures climb gently, and the shoulder season means you get museums, coastlines and mountain trails almost to yourself, well before the summer surge.

For culture, this is the moment to trade Rome and Florence for slower art cities like Mantua, Ravenna or Matera, where you can actually linger in a piazza. For nature and villages, the Apennine hilltowns, the Slovenian Karst and the Alentejo hinterland come alive with wildflowers and quiet trails. Along the coast, the southern Adriatic, western Sardinia and the Ionian shore reopen without the August crush, while late-season snow still lingers in the Dolomites for a final ski weekend.

We travel with an undertourism mindset: fewer stops, longer stays, small guesthouses over chains, and always a reason to come back.

Tip of the month

Base yourself in a single lesser-known town for three nights and take day trips by regional train. You will see far more than a hurried multi-city itinerary.